method of removing them, and feared that he should thus be baffled in
the very outset; but upon a closer scrutiny he discovered that the
irons could be slipped off and on at pleasure, with very little
effort or inconvenience, merely by squeezing his hands through them,-
this species of manacle being altogether ineffectual in confining
young persons, in whom the smaller bones readily yield to pressure.
He now untied his feet, and, leaving the cord in such a manner that
it could easily be readjusted in the event of any person's coming
down, proceeded to examine the bulkhead where it joined the berth.
The partition here was of soft pine board, an inch thick, and he saw
that he should have little trouble in cutting his way through. A
voice was now heard at the forecastle companion-way, and he had just
time to put his right hand into its handcuff (the left had not been
removed) and to draw the rope in a slipknot around his ankle, when
Dirk Peters came below, followed by Tiger, who immediately leaped
into the berth and lay down. The dog had been brought on board by
Augustus, who knew my attachment to the animal, and thought it would
give me pleasure to have him with me during the voyage. He went up to
our house for him immediately after first taking me into the hold,
but did not think of mentioning the circumstance upon his bringing
the watch. Since the mutiny, Augustus had not seen him before his
appearance with Dirk Peters, and had given him up for lost, supposing
him to have been thrown overboard by some of the malignant villains
belonging to the mate's gang. It appeared afterward that he had
crawled into a hole beneath a whale-boat, from which, not having room
to turn round, he could not extricate himself. Peters at last let him
out, and, with a species of good feeling which my friend knew well
how to appreciate, had now brought him to him in the forecastle as a
companion, leaving at the same time some salt junk and potatoes, with
a can of water, he then went on deck, promising to come down with